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Kat Katz Opens Up About Her Exit From Agoraphobic Nosebleed & Misogyny In Metal

Back in October 2018, Kat Katz left Agoraphobic Nosebleed after saying she was “tired of being bullied by dudes.” The band then responded by saying the split came about when the vocalist worried them by disappearing after a show in Quebec. However, when she did contact them later on, they yelled at her for not keeping in touch, which she saw as “overprotective behavior” that “belittled” her. She then followed up by saying her departure “symbolized the end of a series of uncomfortable events.” Now, during a recent interview with Cvlt Nation, Katz further discussed her departure from the band, as well as misogyny in metal.

Katz said the following about her exit, while also revealing that one of her ex-bandmates came on to her physically:

“The band dynamics seemed to deteriorate when I began expressing opinions more openly. My former bandmate is not used to people disagreeing with him, and I don’t think it helped any that I’m a woman. I believe that the major reason it fell apart so quickly is that weeks before I left, he had come on to me physically in a way that made me highly uncomfortable. I wasn’t expecting it. We had stayed in the same hotel room numerous times and nothing had ever happened. It felt disrespectful not only to me, but to his significant other, and put me in a terrible position. I don’t know how he expected that situation to culminate in any way that wasn’t destructive to the band and his relationship.”

She added the following when asked if she had any similar experiences in Salome:

“I thought I had a good friendship with the drummer in Salome. When he decided he wanted a sexual relationship and I said no, he resorted to the typical pattern of bullying and gaslighting. For years, I kept trying to make our relationship work as bandmates until I realized I was the only one of us trying. I promised myself then that I wouldn’t pay the price for someone else’s selfishness again. When my ANb bandmates showed the same disrespect for me, I left before they did more damage.”

She went on to discuss misogyny in the metal scene:

“Every woman fights the stereotype of ‘hysterical female,’ and I was extremely disappointed in my bandmates for exploiting that trope. The amount of narcissism, drama, and insecurity I witness from men in metal is astounding and yields no consequences; the tantrums are accepted without the bat of an eye. As a woman, you show anger, you speak out, and you’re automatically labeled as ‘crazy.’”

She later added:

“I think misogyny and racism will always be a problem. But I hold out hope that the culture can become more inclusive. People need to speak out whenever they encounter bigotry and not be bystanders to abuse. I don’t know that we will ever get through to the people who lack empathy, but we can try, and we can at least deter the abusive behavior.”

Katz also said the following when asked about performing and what she wants other women to get out of seeing her take the stage:

“I don’t think I’d be alive today without using music and art to process experiences and emotions. My childhood included sexual assault and being the primary caregiver to a parent with untreated schizophrenia and lack of insight. She used to lock us in the house with chairs pressed up against the doors. As a child, I felt powerless, and that feeling stayed with me long after I left home. When I’m on stage, I feel powerful. I’m beyond the traumas of the past. I’m beyond rigid gender stereotypes. And I am heard. I want other women to see that there are no limits to self-expression. You don’t have to live the life you were born to.”

She later discussed her current plans:

“I’ve decided to take a few more classes and gain some research experience before applying to clinical psychology PhD programs. In the meantime, I’m a counselor for people who were chronically homeless and live with severe mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use problems. In regard to new music, I’m very excited about a song I have coming out May 3rd on Adult Swim’s Metal Swim 2 Compilation. I collaborated with Andy Gibbs of Thou, and it was such a fun and meaningful experience. It was my first time having a major role in writing the music. The compilation includes artists Sunn O))), Baroness, Dark Castle, The Body, and many other awesome bands.”